Digital Chapter Management: A Self-Paced Learning Experience

Unfortunately, there's precious little in the way of things that I can share from work due to non-disclosure agreements. However, my capstone project for the University of Maryland (UMGC) comes close to illustrating the interdisciplinary nature of large creative projects. The assignment was to create a learning experience for a real-world client while playing the role of a professional consultant. As part of that exercise, we needed to wear various hats:

• Graphic Designer - Build a business brand for ourselves: logo, color scheme, letterhead, etc. 

• Product Manager - Collaborate with a third party to define training needs and develop a focus statement. 

• Project Manager - Craft a project charter and all related documentation from a Waterfall perspective (PMI/PMBOK). 

• Instructional Designer - Design a curriculum for 6-8 hours of synchronous, asynchronous, or blended training. 

• User Experience Researcher - Prototype and perform usability testing to ensure a match between audience and expectations. 

• Copywriter & Video Editor - Create the course as designed, integrating principals of UDL and Mayer’s Principles. 

• Data Analyst - Provide evaluation plans built on the Kirkpatrick Model for data-driven improvements.

As you'll see below, I had the privilege of working with a local non-profit service organization which needed a self-paced technical training course.  The prospectus breaks it down succinctly; the project's website fills in all the details (from the full collection of project documents to a course video playlist). It was a large undertaking, with 25 fully realized lessons across 6 units of content, but it was great practice from multiple perspectives.

 *Note: If you're seeing empty boxes or errors below, it's likely that your network blocks cloud storage. Try viewing on a different network or download the files directly. 

Portal Training for Beginners: Workshops for Managers

Before joining Rockstar Games, I spent many years in the Production Technology Department at Fox/Disney's Blue Sky Studios. During that time, I was a web application developer, production management system administrator, user experience research evangelist, and ultimately a product owner of Portal. Per the usual formula, we researched, designed, and created a tool suite with enormous in-house potential, but we needed a way to increase confidence and adoption. To that end, I developed a curriculum for in-person workshops that could be converted to asynchronous, self-paced learning for both Portal and its sister, the bssPlay extension package for RV. As a requirement from Disney, you'll need to use the password "workshopTraining" to view the documents.

"Whether I'm contributing to blockbuster films or AAA games, the pattern reasserts itself: through programming, new tools and processes are created to track and analyze the production of work by artists, and ultimately, technical training becomes essential to end-user confidence and adoption."

Seven Dimensions of Professional Competency

1. Communication - Am I able to communicate clearly in writing and speaking, meeting expectations for content, purpose, organization, audience, and format? Certainly! The exercise of writing essays, research papers, evaluations, and general copy builds up my skill on a regular basis. Consistent practice, combined with a desire to always "cite sources," sets a pattern for successful (and some times persuasive) output. However, communication isn't just a written activity. As SoundCloud and TikTok prove daily, communication is a multimedia discipline. Therefore, whether I'm creating audio experiences, eye-catching slideshows, interesting infographics, or workflow documentation, my ultimate goal isn't the creation of content - it's to ensure that knowledge is both shipped and received. 

2. Critical Thinking and Analysis - Am I able to apply logical processes to formulate clear, defensible ideas based on the analysis of facts and ethical considerations? Undoubtedly! I spent many years in this space while completing my dissertation for a Doctor of Professional Studies in Applied Computing from Pace University. As part of that process, we were not only required to certify with the National Institutes of Health in Protecting Human Research Participants (PHRP), but we had to use those ethical principles as we engaged in cycles of the scientific method (observation, hypothesis, prediction, experimentation, analysis, and reporting). Similar lines of critical thinking can be found in project management, such as in the careful crafting of risk management plans.

3. Leadership, Facilitation, and Collaboration - Can I lead, facilitate, and collaborate with a variety of individuals and diverse teams to achieve organizational objectives? Indeed! In fact, it's been a prerequisite for supporting production at both Rockstar Games and Blue Sky Studios. Aside from arbitrating changes to centralized production management systems, I've also acted as a Scrum Master on technical teams and a Product Owner of web-based applications. Academically, I've often had group projects that tapped a "servant leadership" style. With regards to diversity, I've completed the University of Michigan's "Leading for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Higher Education" course, and I will continue to engage in professional development as a volunteer with the Daughters of the American Revolution.

4. Learning Design - Can I demonstrate competency in learning theory, curriculum design techniques, teaching and instruction, and the assessment of learning and the learning process? Got it covered! Maslow's Hierarchy, Behaviorism vs. Constructivism, Pedagogy vs. Andragogy, Bloom's Taxonomy, the ABCD Model, S.M.A.R.T. Objectives, ADDIE vs. Dick & Carey, Quality Matters - from concept to completion, my basket of learning design tools is overflowing. A lot of that knowledge was gained in the project-driven Master of Science in Learning Design and Technology program with the University of Maryland. Learning management systems may come and go, but the scientific roots of learning design - such as psychology and cognitive science - will continue to shape it. As Louis Sullivan noted, "Form follows function."

5. Quantitative Reasoning & Analytics-Driven Development - Am I skilled at applying analytical concepts and tools to address domain-specific problems and inform decision making? Check! I've been engaging in "research, investigation, skills, and knowledge" collection for many years. Whether I'm using Google Analytics or coded interviews to surface data, the true value of the exercise is how it affects project or program development. Does running a System Usability Scale (SUS) study reveal potential improvements? Will tracking key performance indicators like "progress toward completion" (in a project) or "knowledge attainment" (in a learning experience) affect decision-making? There's a wealth of value at both the individual and organizational levels in following the data.

6. Technology and Media - Am I able to demonstrate competency in media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods? Absolutely! Long before my studies with the University of Maryland, I earned a Master of Fine Arts in Digital Production from Clemson University. It's a terminal degree focused on "production techniques specific to the animation, visual effects, and electronic games industries." Not only have I sliced screencasts into instructional videos, but I've spent years creating sets, textures, lights, and camera tracks in Autodesk Maya. It was those skills which I leaned on as a Layout Technical Assistant on four major animated films. Whether it's understanding an artist's perspective, or digging back into creator mode, I've got it covered!

7. Project Management - Am I able capable of leading and organizing projects targeted to specific institutional needs, priorities, and strategies? Definitely! In the span of my career, I've worked as a developer and administrator on three different project management systems: phpCollab,  Blue Sky Studio's "Diego (The Ubertracker)," and Autodesk's Shotgun/Shotgrid/FPT. Beyond learning through osmosis, I've been proactive in understanding business-standard concepts by earning a Professional Certificate in Applied Project Management from the University of California and preparing for PMP certification. Where project management bleeds into product management, I'm well-versed in Agile methodologies and ready to step up as a lead or product owner when the need arises.